Preventing Post-Graduation Isolation of Correspondence High Schoolers: Carrierbase to Launch Nationwide 'School Career Salon' in FY2026

NPO Carrierbase (Location: Kashiwa City, Chiba; Chairperson: Yusuke Kusaba) operates 'School Career Salons' where high school students, primarily those in correspondence courses, can meet adults other than their parents or teachers to establish connections with society within their schools.

Since its launch in July 2024, the salon has been implemented in 34 schools, holding a total of 428 sessions with 872 students participating. Emphasizing relationship-building through daily dialogue and casual chat rather than just career counseling, the initiative is spreading as a place where students can connect with society with peace of mind.

From fiscal year 2026, the organization will move full-scale into model construction for students nationwide who need support, utilizing the Dormant Deposit Utilization Project (Ordinary Category).

### Background and Social Issues According to a Ministry of Education survey released in October 2025, the number of absent students in elementary and junior high schools reached a record high of 353,970. Many students who become absent after entering high school transfer to correspondence courses, pushing the total number of correspondence high school students over 300,000 for the first time. In these schools, graduation itself often becomes the final goal, resulting in over 30%—more than 23,000 graduates—leaving school with 'undecided' future paths, leading to serious isolation.

### Changes Emerging from School Career Salons - Students who could barely speak during the first session have become able to talk about their future through continuous participation. - Dialogue with adults outside of school has prompted students to take steps toward social engagement, such as starting part-time jobs. - The feeling that 'there are adults I can rely on' leads to increased self-esteem and a sense of security. - Changes in students that teachers alone might miss are now monitored by regional adults and external staff.

### Future Outlook Utilizing the Dormant Deposit Utilization Project adopted in October 2025, Carrierbase will build a model for nationwide expansion. It aims to broaden environments where students can graduate while maintaining social ties through cooperation between regions, schools, companies, and support agencies.

### Comment from Chairperson Yusuke Kusaba 'Having a point of contact in school where students can meet adults other than their parents or teachers, having a safe place to talk, and feeling that someone cares about them—I believe the accumulation of these small relationships significantly impacts students' self-esteem and their lives thereafter.'